Monday, December 8, 2014

Greek Style Spinach-Feta Pie (Modified Crustless Version) - Low Carb

This evening I made the crustless version of Greek Style Spinach-Feta Pie. I actually tweaked my original crustless recipe just a little and I think I like this version even more. I created my original Greek Style Spinach-Feta Pie (with crust) soon after I went low carb to satisfy my craving for Spanakopita (made with phyllo pastry dough). My version had all the flavor minus the wheat and carbs. 

Not long after I created that version, I made a crustless version of that spinach-feta pie to reduce the prep time so it could easily be prepared on a week night. It's also a bit lighter without the crust, too. I actually love it both with and without the crust.

This evening's "modified crustless version" add's a third option. I really, really...REALLY enjoyed tonight's version which is a step in between the other two. It's still quick to make since there's no crust involved, but a bit more substantial than the crustless pie. I added 1/2 cup of blanched almond flour, some Parmesan and a few other little tweaks. It's more along the lines of one of the old Bisquick "impossible pies" if you remember those. Whether you prefer it with crust or without or my new version which is in between...it's definitely one worth trying. It is good for breakfast, lunch, or dinner...or as I did once before, all 3 meals (in the same day). I snapped a quick photo below as well as included the newer slightly modified version. Enjoy!



Greek Style Spinach-Feta Pie (Crustless Version #2)

Ingredients:


2 tablespoons olive oil or butter
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
10 ounces fresh spinach (up to 16 ounces)
7 large eggs
1/2 cup PLUS 2 tablespoons heavy cream (or half-and-half)
1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup blanched almond flour
1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed
1 to 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon salt, to taste (optional)
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
6 ounces crumbled feta cheese

Directions:


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease or spray a 10" deep dish pie plate (I used a 9.5" fluted pie dish). 

In a non-stick skillet, saute onions in olive oil or butter over medium heat until softened; add garlic and cook an additional 2 minutes or until translucent. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside. 

In the same skillet, saute spinach, just until wilted.  Drain and press as much liquid out of cooked spinach as possible (I use a mesh strainer and press it with the back of a large spoon). Coarsely chop the spinach and set aside.

In a medium bowl, add eggs, cream, Parmesan, almond flour, dill, lemon zest, and salt and pepper to taste. Beat egg mixture together; add onions, spinach and feta cheese and stir until evenly combined. Pour mixture into greased pie dish and bake for 35-40 minutes until puffed and golden, or until filling and eggs are set and cooked. If the center is still slightly jiggly, cook for an additional few minutes (the center is usually puffed up when completely cooked). Let cool for approximately 5 minutes; cut into wedges and serve. Makes about 6 servings.

*Note: This version is slightly modified from my original crustless version by the following: eggs are increased from 6 to 7; feta is reduced from 8 oz. to 6 oz; 1/4 cup Parmesan added; 1/2 cup blanched almond flour added; additional 2 tablespoons cream added; and optional 1/4 teaspoon salt added.


    

20 comments:

CyberSis said...

Hi GGC,

What a gorgeous backdrop for your pie ... truly a match made in heaven. :-) Lovely photo!

As a huge fan of all of your spinach pie versions, I'll be adding this one to the mix ASAP!

Gourmet Girl Cooks said...

Hi CyberSis,

Thanks! Hope you enjoy it when you get a chance to try it. :-)

Ann said...

Just made the pie this morning. It is so good. I also love the spinach pie with crust but this one is much easier to make.

Gourmet Girl Cooks said...

Hi Ann,

So happy you liked it. I do love the version with crust...but like you said, this one is so much easier to make, particularly on more hurried week nights. Glad you liked it! :-)

Louanne said...

Ooh, love spanakopita, but haven't eaten it in so long. If I use frozen spinach, do you think a 10 oz package would be enough?

Unknown said...

Just ordered your Amazon dish for this recipe! You need a gold medal for these recipes. I made sure to click your link so your affiliate account would get the credit. Thank you so much!

Janet389 said...

I already make your spinach pie on a regular basis. The other day I was making a crust less cheesecake for my birthday. I think we like cheesecake with a crust better. I was wondering if you think this method would work for a cheesecake too?

Gourmet Girl Cooks said...

Hi Louanne,

A 10-oz package of frozen spinach should work. If you like more spinach, you could always add more. Two packages might be too much in one pie. You could also bump up the feta if you like more of that, too. Only suggestion I have is to make sure your really get as much liquid out of the spinach as possible. Hope you enjoy it! :-)

Gourmet Girl Cooks said...

Hi Ken,

Thanks so much! I hope you enjoy the pie and I hope you like your new dish, too. Thanks so much for the support...it's appreciated! Did you select the 10" or 9.5" pie dish? I love mine. :-)

Gourmet Girl Cooks said...

Hi Janet,

I don't know if simply adding the almond flour to cheesecake filling would work the same way since it is so dense with cream cheese. I'm not sure if the recipe you make is a traditional "baked cheesecake recipe" or not. I have a "no bake" cheesecake recipe that I really like. I make a simple crust if you want to take a look. Here's the link to it: http://www.gourmetgirlcooks.com/2013/12/no-bake-cheesecake-w-pecan-cinnamon.html :-)

Ditamac MI/FL said...

Love that you re-worked your other crustless spinach pie. It was very good. Can't wait to make this one tomorrow. Soon as I can get my spinach. Do you ever record the net carb values of recipes. It would truly be helpful. Thanks again.

Barb said...

Hi......I'm not a big fan of feta cheese, so do you think this would work with goat cheese? I'm new to your blog, but so far I love all your recipes.

Gourmet Girl Cooks said...

Hi Ditamac,

I see I missed your comment from last month...I apologize! If you've already tried this spinach pie, I hope you enjoyed it. Thanks! :-)

Gourmet Girl Cooks said...

Hi Barb,

Thank you. Goat cheese would be a perfect substitution! And welcome! :-)

Barb said...

Thanks.....I made this and it was very good. We ate it at room temp, with a sauce made out of sour cream and fresh lemon juice drizzled over it. 👍👍

Gourmet Girl Cooks said...

Hi Barb,

So happy you enjoyed it. Your sauce sounds like a great addition! :-)

Amy said...

This recipe looks really good! I like the idea of a Bisquick style impossible crust, too. I wonder if this would work with Swiss cheese, crumbled bacon and maybe some mushrooms to make more of a quiche Lorraine style pie. Have you ever tried a version like that? BTW I absolutely LOVE your blog! I have been following an Atkins induction diet, subbing in Atkins fat fast recipes when I get frustrated that the scale isn't moving fast enough, but I'm getting bored. Your weight loss story is very inspiring and I've been thinking maybe I (a 55 y.o. post menopausal woman who's lost 27 lbs., but still has 40 more to go) could still lose weight on the Wheat Belly diet. I suppose my weight would likely come off more slowly, but I think I would also like my food choices a lot better and actually learn a new set of recipes that I could live with for life.

Gourmet Girl Cooks said...

Hi Amy,

Yes, I'm sure it would be great with those ingredients. You can substitute your favorites. So happy you are enjoying my blog.

Even if it takes you a bit longer to lose the weight than you'd like it to, if you can find meals you enjoy that keep you moving in the right direction and more importantly keep you eating this way without feeling deprived, it's probably better than being so bored you quit altogether.

That's part of the reason I try and add lots of variety to keep it interesting so I don't get bored or feel deprived. I do feel like I could continue this way for life. Let me know if you need any help or suggestions with anything! :-)

Janice said...

Just had to tell you this. I hate eggs. I mean truly...the whites being the most gag inducing part of them. As you can imagine that poses some challenges, or at least rethinking of the most common LCHF recipes for easy breakfasts. This pie though - yum! I am making it now for about the 6th time. We have a producer of feta made from grass fed cow milk nearby, and it is perfect for this recipe. Thank you!

Gourmet Girl Cooks said...

Hi Janice,

That's GREAT! I'm so happy you have found a way that you can enjoy eggs because they really do help make breakfast easier. Thanks for letting me know that you are enjoying it! It's one of my favorites! :-)